


An Unforgiving Union

by NerdTree



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-18 07:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16990872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdTree/pseuds/NerdTree
Summary: Yaku, a mage from the outskirts of the great city of magic still hasn't found his shifter partner. What happens when his life was doused in darkness one day and a new world was thrust upon him. What happens when his once lonely but peaceful life - the peaceful world he lived - in turns out to be not so peaceful...





	1. Yaku’s Fateful Meeting

The city of Kadena is a city like no other. It’s on no map, and if you ask anyone about it, they’ll laugh and say it’s an old folk tale. But of course, nothing is ever as it seems when magic is involved.

 

Kadena is a city with no equal—high towers seemingly frozen in time, electricity just a tool of the mundanes, and people ruled by magic. No human has ever travelled  here, and few magus ever leave.

 

There are two kinds of Magus in Kadena, the predominant one being the mages, who are able to manipulate magic in any way they please, though each mage has a specialty - an aspect that they are stronger in.

 

Shifters are magus whose only magic is to change form and occasionally have insights into one of many futures or multiple depending on how powerful the shifter is. Each shifter has a preferred form and a human form which they can keep indefinitely, though they can change into anything for a short time should they feel like it. Each mage has a shifter partner that they meet at a relatively young age, though it can take a few years for the pull towards each other to cause the partners to meet. In extreme cases, partners don’t meet until their teenage years.

 

As in all cities, even Kadena has its issues - an underworld so to speak. Kadena specifically has a sort of slave trade, though it is more complicated than that. Many magus have no clue about it, and those who do are either part of the trade or investigating it (without much luck). And so, as this story tells, it falls to a single young mage and shifter to expose the corruption within the city.

 

=====

 

Autumn; one of the prettiest seasons, or so Yaku thought. The trees putting on their last show before they become dormant, and all the animals chattering away before their hibernation. The young mage, often visited the forest. It was a place where the buzz of magic calmed, and nature became the foremost force. Already at the age of 18 and still without a shifter, Yaku wondered if he should be living with his father instead. Maybe his shifter was there instead, and by living with his mother, he had ruined his chances of finding his partner.

 

Watching two pixies pack up their home for the winter, Yaku sighed once again. A golden leaf landed on his lap, and a small smile curved on his face. If only Kadena’s nobles saw that this was the true gold of the world. Not a lump of ore. It’s not that they were corrupt, but they normally only thought of themselves. Magic ensured that everyone in Kadena was fed and watered, but it was the nobles that provided most of the work for the magus.

 

Tall trees created stretching shadows in the coral orange set of the sun, the molten coloured leaves blending in with the salmon sky. Yaku looked up, feeling the breeze pass across his face, a shiver ripping through him. A moment later, a smallish fox yipped from nearby, making Yaku jump. The sound snapped Yaku out of his almost hypnotic trance, before a large smile appeared on his face.

“Hello there. You’re bold,” he greeted the usually skittish animal, holding his hand out. The fox slowly approached, before sniffing his hand., and a buzz of energy passed through Yaku as he looked in awe of the creature. “Are...are you a shifter?” he asked, “...my shifter?”

The fox yipped once again, its shape blurring. This wasn’t the first time Yaku had seen a shifter change, but this time he felt it was special. After a moment, a man around his age crouched in front of Yaku, looking at him with apprehension. Dull metal blue eyes met Yaku’s brown ones.

“I’d almost given up on finding my mage,” the fox shifter mumbled, his sharp gaze looking over Yaku, as if he’d just found his god.

“Um...I’m Yaku, Yaku Morisuke,” he introduced, a little nervous. This was a once in a lifetime experience.

“Akaashi, Akaashi Keiji. You can call me Keiji though. Wow, I’m so relieved!” Akaashi sighed, a large smile on his face.

“Keiji...you can call me Mori if you want,” Yaku returned the courtesy. He was overjoyed, no, ecstatic. In fact there were no words to describe Yaku’s elation. He’d finally met his life partner. “Come on, let’s go and tell mother,” he suggested enthusiastically, jumping up. _He’d_ finally _met his life partner!_ Before Yaku could go anywhere, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking back, he paused.

“Wait … Mori! Could...could we get to know each other a bit first?” Akaashi asked, a shy look on his face.

“Are you not a people person?” Yaku inquired. Akaashi’s eyes wouldn’t meet Yaku’s as he replied.

“I-uh-I’m just a little nervous. I haven’t really spent a lot of time around people,” he mumbled. A small sympathetic smile graced Yaku’s features, and a small blush adorned Akaashi’s cheeks.

“What would you like to do to get to know each other?” Yaku asked. He wasn’t about to scare away his only partner for something as simple as this.

In fact, he’d already do absolutely anything for Akaashi. He’d been waiting over ten years to meet his partner, and had watched all his friends find their shifters while he had still been alone. As time went on, he had been shunned and pushed away from them. Now that he had found Akaashi, he wasn’t going to let him go. To have a shifter partner was like finding part of your soul. They could communicate mentally, without the need for words, and shared everything with each other. Everything became easier to bare, and, as the saying goes, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’. Yaku would treasure his partner after having been without for such a long time - too long.

“We could walk around for a bit and talk?” Akaashi asked, a little hope arising in his eyes - those dull metallic blue eyes glinting with the emotion.

“Of course. I know this area quite well, so there’s no chance of us getting lost,” Yaku grinned, a little proud of himself. A bright smile now covered Akaashi’s face, and he linked arms with Yaku, almost childishly. Normally Yaku would have pulled away if anyone did that to him, but he was also feeling giddy with joy, so he allowed it and let himself be pulled into a walk.

“I’m so happy Mori. I thought after so long I’d never find you!” Akaashi repeated again. He seemed to be even more elated than Yaku, and the thought of that sent a wave of pure elation and peace throughout the mage.

 

The crunch of the leaves underfoot, the sound of the wind and the cool air made this situation seem like a dream to Yaku. His favourite place, his dream come true, his favourite season. What could ruin a moment like this?

 

Before he could react, Yaku’s view of the glorious sunset was doused in blackness and he inhaled to scream, and prepared to use magic, only to pass out where he stood -  drugged by the cloth being held over his mouth.


	2. The Wondrous Day Gone Wrong

Apparently a lot could shatter Yaku’s dream. As soon as he had passed out, Akaashi’s innocent smile turned sour, into something more sinister, and his figure once again changed. This time into an older Akaashi, - dull blue metallic eyes now hard as iron and cold as ice.

“Foolish boy,” he muttered. Akaashi’s real mage tied up Yaku, still blindfolded, and threw him over his shoulder.

“Good job Akaashi. He’s worth more than the others,” his mage praised him.

“Whatever, Bo. Still, 18 and no shifter. That’s something to feel sorry about,” he feigned pity, his cruel gaze not softening an iota. The two took Yaku to a carriage they had close by and put him in a chest with breathing holes in so he wouldn’t die, but also so they wouldn’t get caught if any investigators came snooping.

“That’s the difficult bit over with,” Bo said, sounding relieved and clapping his hands together.

“We still have yet to get him to the base, Bokuto,” Akaashi reminded him. They were seemingly the perfect partners, though sometimes Akaashi could get a little frustrated with the other man. Despite that, they had to work together. With the business they were in, working alone would be nigh impossible. How they had come this far without getting caught because of  Bokuto’s big mouth was anyone’s guess, though they fit in well with their simple attire and well-polished story of their past and current affairs.

 

Spurring the horse into motion, Akaashi and Bokuto sat at the front of the carriage, pent up anxiety building up. They had to get to the inner city first, and that meant going through two guarded gates. Little did they know that another pair of eyes, as golden as the sun yet narrowed to nought but slits, watched the exchange between the three.

 

Travelling wasn’t a problem so much as it was tedious, as the passages throughout the magical city were all large and kept moving with some sort of a flow. As they passed the outskirt villages, the bottom of the sun had just hit the horizon, and the day began to chill, foreboding heavy in the air around the sinister carriage that held Yaku and his two captors. As night fell, the carriage didn’t stop. It continued its journey towards the centre of the city, the constant sound of the horse’s pace lulling its passengers into somewhat of a trance. Just when the first stars began to appear, the first of the city’s gates came into view.

 

The outer wall was devoted to the past age of elven folk, a myth even to magus, though the wall had always been there, even before the elders of Kadena. It was flawless, a sheer wall of black stone standing at least 10 metres high. In the dead of night it almost looked invisible, but during the day, it stood as a sharp contrast, and reminder to any exiled or unwelcome magus that to pass this wall would entail the worst punishment of all - to be stripped of magic, memories and shifter - to live as a human with no knowledge of their past except a longing in their heart from the emptiness of their lost partner. 

 

Akaashi guided the mare to the gate, where guards stood observing every passing cart with more than just their bare eyes. These guards specialised in Seeing. Some could sense objects in the here and now, whereas others could occasionally catch a glimpse of the future from looking at a person. These were the guards that posed the most danger to Akaashi and Bokuto. They were almost to the last guard when one called out to them. Bokuto tensed, preparing to battle his way out of the situation, but resumed a neutral position when Akaashi glanced at him.

“What’s wrong, Sir?” Akaashi asked the guard. The Seeing guard chuckled, leaning against the carriage.

“Nothing is wrong at all. I just thought I’d let you know you’re probably going to get some good luck sometime soon. I See a black cat crossing your path in the near future,” he told Akaashi, who put on a smile, but really just wanted to get back to the shadows - a place he knew well.

“Oh really?! Thank you! I hope that does come true. Some good luck would be due about now!” he laughed, sitting back up on the carriage.

“Wouldn’t it just!” the guard replied, and the carriage continued on its way. Though the two traders have had closer run-ins than that, the nerves and fear of being caught never decreased.

 

Hearts pounding, they made their way through a place known as the Shambles. As its name suggested, there was no linear form to the way this part of the great city was built, and all the buildings seemed to defy gravity, overhanging in some cases. In others, they really were defying the laws of physics - though what were they compared to the laws of magic?

 

Well and truly night now, the moon watched over the city, casting a soft glow over the towers, and over the people of the city. It really was a glorious night. Not a cloud could be seen, and not a sorrow was to be heard of. At least not until you looked deeper. But no one ever did. Wrapped up in their own happiness, no one looked down a small alley behind the tavern where a dark carriage was parked and two men were carrying a chest into the inn. Once they got into the room they were staying in for the rest of the night and locked the door, Bokuto opened the chest. Yaku was awake. Of course he was. They’d been travelling for hours.

“Make a sound and we kill you, got it?” Bokuto asked the young adult, who nodded and was placed sat against a corner, hands still tied, but his eyes and mouth were uncovered. He was fed a small portion of dry bread, before being tied to Akaashi with a piece of rope. These two really did not want him to escape at all. Settling back into his designated corner, Yaku got as comfy as his bonds would enable, before slowly drifting in and out of an uneasy sleep.


	3. The Dark Secret Of Kadena’s Inner City

Waking up to a harsh tug to his wrist, Yaku started, disorientated for a few moments before,  _ oh, he had been abducted _ . Akaashi pointed at the chest.

“Get in,” he ordered Yaku, who reluctantly climbed back into the tight space, his shoulders already complaining at the cramped position. He was unable to reach for his magic. His mind filled with a sort of fog that prevented him from immersing himself in the buzz of energy within. He didn’t dare fight back without it. In fact, he felt practically bare without his innate ability to use magic. 

Feeling the chest be lifted, Yaku tried to relax somewhat. Hopefully, that would alleviate the dull aching that his whole body was pulsing with. Not only that, but the emptiness in his heart hurt too. For a fleeting moment the previous day, he thought he had found his shifter. His one partner. Then, all too quickly, that dream come reality had shattered. Now, despite the aching in his heart, he had resigned himself to a life alone. From the short exchange he’d had with Akaashi, his trust in people was shattered, along with the remaining innocence of his childhood. Which reminded him: would his mother have noticed him missing now? Probably not. He usually disappeared off early in the morning and got back late. He hoped she’d checked his room. If his bed wasn’t slept in, she’d be sure to raise the alarm. He hoped.

 

After some time - a few hours Yaku guessed - the carriage jerked to a halt. Something akin to a binding spell was placed on Yaku, and he couldn’t talk or move, or do anything to alert the voices outside that  _ he was there _ . Even as he tried to reach for magic, something fogged his mind, and he couldn’t delve into the magic within himself.

“What business do you have within the inner wall of Kadena?” an unknown voice asked, likely a guard, Yaku guessed.

“We’re here to retrieve the payment for the shipment we sent to the outskirts from our masters,” Akaashi’s voice replied, laced with feigned honesty. How he managed to pull of such an act was beyond Yaku. He couldn’t make eye contact with anyone when he told a fib, his mother had told him. He wished he could have been back home. He would have done  _ anything  _ to have been back at home eating his mother’s homemade broth, and having a discussion about when the last leaves would fall in the autumn. Just thinking about the conversation and food made his stomach grumble quietly, and his heart tug.

“I see! Well, we’ll give you a week permission, and then you and your mage will be kicked out if you’re not out before,” the guard said. Yaku sighed internally. 

 

He somewhat hoped that they would have been turned away, then they may have let him go free. But as fate would have it, here he was, illegally being taken into the inner city, for some sort of work. Realisation came over him then. He didn’t even know why Akaashi and his friend had taken him. He vaguely remembered something about him being worth a lot, but maybe he had imagined that. He hoped he’d imagined that. Being auctioned off seemed a little public for the underground, so he assumed it was some sort of private affair. 

His only thoughts now were of how he was going to get out of this and get back home. After all, his supper was waiting for him, and that was all Yaku really longed for. He wouldn’t care for these people...kidnappers, just as long as he was home. He wouldn’t breathe a word of his adventure to anyone if he could only eat his mother’s food again. They travelled for a long time in the centre, stopping, starting, stopping, starting. He wondered if Akaashi was trying to put him off by thinking that they were going a difference distance than how far they were actually going. He was tired of the games if that was true.

 

Finally, he heard voices talking lowly with only harsh words and blunt meaning. Yaku assumed that meant they had finally arrived. In a way, he was glad to get out of this cramped space, but he was apprehensive about what he’d be met with at his destination. As he was pulled out of the chest, the first things he noticed with his blindfold still on were the cold biting air and the smell of damp. Were they underground? He was dragged for a few minutes, feet catching as he tripped a couple of times, but strong hands kept him from face-planting the ground. He heard an owl in the distance, or was it? They must have been deep inside by now. A shifter? So many questions ran through his head, as he tried to keep his mind off his immediate future. How many people had been here before him? Were they without shifters too? He had no idea.

 

Without warning, he was practically thrown onto the floor, and he felt his bonds and blindfold be removed. He spun round to face the direction he had come, and found himself face to face with five different people. There were his two kidnappers, the ones who had taken him from his home. Next were two folk with masks on, covering the top half of their face. He couldn’t identify anything except for their robes. They were only young, like him. The robes symbolised their enrollment and attendance to the Imperial College in Kadena

 

That worried Yaku. If students were involved, from a prestigious school like that, then who knew how high up this underground business ran. All the way to the nobles? It couldn’t possibly. The thought made his heart race with fear. He knew of one noble who would happily see him killed, but he didn’t want to think about that. Why here? Why now? Or was this a way to get to the noble? After all, his connection to the nobles worked both ways. Taking a breath and calming his thoughts, Yaku concentrated on his surroundings again. Getting worked up about something that may not even be true could prove to be detrimental. The final person was dressed in all black, as if designed for combat. They were a warrior of some sort, but Yaku had never seen or heard about a group with such a uniform. This man was evidently in charge.

“W-what do you want with me?” he asked, cursing himself for his stuttering. He hadn’t spoken since Akaashi broke his facade, and his throat rasped at the almost forgotten feeling.

“You brought a lively one, Akaashi,” the black clad man chuckled, his voice deep, sending an involuntary shiver of fear through Yaku. Nothing good could come from him being here. Yaku was frightened, though he would never admit such a thing - his stubborn side showing.

“You’d be surprised. No shifter and just over a year away from leaving teenagery behind,” Akaashi replied.

“Oh? That  _ is _ interesting,” the man muttered before turning to Yaku and walking closer. The teen could almost feel the poisoned, corrupt, magic seeping away from him, and he felt suffocated as he approached. “You must feel so betrayed. Your shifter probably just didn’t care. A boy from the outskirts must not have enough magic for the shifter to be drawn to.” 

The man tried to get into Yaku’s head, but if anything,Yaku only felt relief at what the man had said. It meant there was one less reason for him being here. Though he still wasn’t sure what the reason truly was.

“What do you do here?” Yaku asked, glancing around. There were no other prisoners with them in the cave-like room which seemed to fade in and out of existence. A shoddy illusion spell, Yaku decided. They must not get many people here with stronger magic. Otherwise they’d have renewed it by now.

“We find unbound people, and collect them. You’re all such fine specimen for the mundanes,” the man almost purred. He smelt of peppermint, Yaku thought to himself, frowning at the odd thought, before the magnitude of his situation hit him, and panic began to set in. He was going to end up living in the mundane world, without his shifter, and without telling his mother - alone.


	4. Trapped

Akaashi watched the exchange between his boss and the rat that he’d caught. As soon as he saw the fear begin to seep into Yaku’s posture and gaze, he sighed.

“Come on Bo, let’s go. Time to go on another hunt,” he replied. The mage walked out with him, and they stepped into the cool air, pausing to savour the undampened air.

“We need to collect some supplies before we go on our next trip,” Bokuto told him, “So I’ll get food!” Akaashi noticed the victorious look his partner was giving him, his eyes bright, and he allowed himself a small smile.

“Alright. I’ll get our other supplies. Meet back here at sundown,” Akaashi told him, a little affection in his tone as he watched Bokuto skip off into the town. After he had disappeared, Akaashi began walking towards the Shambles. Though the businesses in the Shambles were honest, a few of them did help him out on occasion. The owners had spells that could fool the guards, though only labelled as kids pranks so as to not alert anyone of their proficiency. As Akaashi stepped down an alley - a shortcut to his first destination,  _ A black cat, huh? _ he thought to himself, watching the noble creature prowl around the corner ahead of him. It reminded him of what the guard had said earlier on. He hoped that the good luck would come in the form of money, or at least cheaper deals in these shops.

 

Shopping was not Akaashi’s favourite thing to do, even if it was a necessity for him and Bokuto to survive their life on the road. After collecting all the items he’d come for, he returned through the alley he had come down. The black cat was there again. He looked at the sun’s position in the sky. He still had a little time to kill. Crouching down, he cooed to the cat for it to come closer. 

Just before it was within petting reach, its shape blurred, and quicker than Akaashi could ever shift, the cat was human and holding him against the wall by his neck. Survival instincts kicked in, and Akaashi tried to kick the man, but he didn’t even budge. He gave up the fight after he figured that this shifter was still above his strength. Instead of struggling, he reached out to contact Bokuto. 

Now that he was a little calmer, Akaashi took in the male’s appearance: black messy hair, some of it falling over his right eye, and golden eyes, like liquid metal, smoldering at Akaashi. He was tall, and well-built. He had certainly been blessed with that physique, Akaashi thought, almost laughing at the wry thought that passed through his mind.

“I’ll remember you. You and your partner. You’ll be the first to go down,” he growled. A cat was certainly a fitting shape for him - if the underlying purr in his voice wasn’t enough, the way his hair seemed to rise like hackles confirmed it for Akaashi.

“And you think I’ll forget you?” Akaashi managed to get out, though at this point even breathing was a difficulty. A small amused smirk passed over the shifters face.

“Yes,” was all that he replied, shifting back into a cat and disappearing into the shadows. Akaashi felt his memory of the male slipping from his mind. He had no idea how that was possible. A shifter shouldn’t have that kind of magic. Maybe his mage was close by? No. Akaashi couldn’t sense anyone else. A moment later, Bokuto came flying round the corner, rage written all over his face.

“Are you ok, Keiji?” he asked, using Akaashi’s first name, a sign of how worried he had been.  _ Was he ok? Of course he was. Why did Bokuto think otherwise?  _ Akaashi pondered. Something was on the tip of his tongue, but the more he tried to reach for the thought, the more it eluded him.

“Yes…” was all he replied. Something still perturbed him, but he couldn’t put a finger on what it was.

“You called in a pretty panicked tone though…” Bokuto reasoned, trying to figure out what had happened.

“I’m alright I think. Nothing is physically wrong with me as such,” Akaashi told him. “Did you get all the food?” Bokuto observed his partner with worry mingled with frustration.

“Yeah, we can go whenever you’re ready,” Bokuto confirmed, picking up the bags of supplies that had been dropped. Nodding, Akaashi followed Bokuto as they returned to their carriage to continue their task to collect more unbound magus.


	5. A Way Out?

Yaku didn’t know how much time had passed since he had been brought to this house/cave place. Yaku was not by any means dumb and it frustrated him that he didn’t know where he was. Growing up pretty much alone, he knew how to fend for himself, and the amount of times he’d got lost in the forest as a child and had to stay out through the night meant he was pretty aware to the small things that most people wouldn’t pick up on. He tried reaching for magic frequently throughout his captivity, but each time it felt like his mind was still covered with cotton wool. The alarming realization came when he went to drink the small cup of water they had given him for the second time, and it smelt flowerlike:  _ he’d been drugged.  _

Even though his offensive magic wasn’t the strongest, it was strong enough to pass as his specialty in the outskirts. He was sceptical though. It didn’t  _ feel _ like his specialty. From what he’d seen, when someone found what they specialised in, there was a drastic increase in power in comparison to their normal usage for other elements of magic. He hadn’t found that yet, so he wondered if his specialty was something they hadn’t been taught as mandatory. But either way, he couldn’t use magic right now, which frustrated him to no end.

 

He’d been hiding the food they’d been giving him - in case that was drugged too, and pouring the water around the room to look like he’d been drinking it while it soaked into the floor. It was now a game for him. He had to wait for the drug to wear off while overcoming his hunger, and keeping himself alert and storing as much energy as possible for when he was going to escape.

 

It had taken him a long time to get to this point - this mindset. He was scared...no, terrified of what would come of him if he didn’t escape. That ruled his thoughts for a while, before he started thinking about things logically. No one was coming to help him, so he had to help himself if he was going to get out of this… predicament. There was no way he was going to live in the mundane world without a fight. He knew that these people were powerful. Especially since they had recruits from the Imperial College, and they were doing more grunt work. That meant that he wasn’t going to be able to escape by using any magic. Though he might be able to, if they weren’t expecting it and he used it wisely. He may not have been powerful, but he had control, and he could use that to his advanta-

 

His thoughts were cut off by one of the students appearing again. They wouldn’t meet his eye whenever they came in. Yaku couldn’t even tell if it was the same student bringing his food. That’s when he started to hatch a plan. They wore masks to hide their identity, and if they really  _ were _ still students then they were sure to be less skilled.

 

He kept up his usual routine of picking up the water and pretending to drink as the student walked out, before sitting in silence, listening for any movement to check he wasn’t being watched. Then he tipped the water away in a corner and hid the food.

 

After six meals had been brought and wasted, Yaku guessed two days had passed. He was starting to become a little delirious. The dehydration and lack of food was definitely getting to him, but just after he threw away his sixth meal, he felt a rush of warmth through his body, snapping him back to reality. He gasped for air as his sense of normality returned to him. A shiver spread through his body, and yet he felt warm. He could have sworn he heard a buzz, and he could suddenly see everything around him with  _ much _ more clarity. He felt himself again. Reaching for the orb of energy in his mind, he felt the buzz run through him, and for the first time, he didn’t feel totally vulnerable. He also realised how much he relied on magic, and realised how much  _ everyone else _ would also rely on it. He felt much more determined now, and had thought of a way to fight back and escape even with his disadvantage.

 

_ Tomorrow…tomorrow he would put his plan into action… _


	6. Escape!

Elsewhere, a certain black cat stood in the shadows, watching to see if anyone was paying attention to him. When the last person disappeared around the corner, he shifted into his human form: messy black hair and golden eyes that seemed to See everything. He wore dark clothes, but ones that were inconspicuous everywhere. If he was seen in the outskirts, it would have been normal, and seeing him in the inner city wouldn’t have raised suspicion, even though black wasn’t a common colour among nobles. The male sighed, breathing in the morning air. He was ready to move; he’d stayed in the shadows long enough. Now he needed to act. Turning onto a busy street, he headed towards the house on the edge of the inner city. The one that everyone assumed was abandoned, but no one could ever prove it. That was the perfect place for them to work, somewhere  _ too  _ suspicious. The government had been double bluffed, by a building that was too conspicuous to be anything but a base. It was time to go. To get solid proof to take down the underworld for good.

 

====

 

Yaku awoke feeling extremely apprehensive. Standing up, he bounced on the soles of his feet, waiting for a student to arrive to give him his food and water. His heart felt like it was in his throat, and it wasn’t long before they arrived. Yaku stood against the bars, almost seeming like he wanted his meal. It was partially subconscious, because he really  _ did _ want the food, but it was also easier to carry out his plan from here. He was watched carefully by the student, since this was different to normal. When the dish was put down, Yaku reached for his magic and lifted up a few droplets of the drugged water.

“Sorry, but what time is it? I’ve lost all sense of time down here,” he asked the student, his voice tired. It was unlikely that they’d respond, and Yaku sighed internally. “Hey! Stop ignoring me!” he almost ordered, like he was having a tantrum. Still no response. “Please, just at least tell me that much!” he begged, still stood against the bars, forcing a desperate look on his features. He saw the student swallow.  _ So they were nervous too?  _ Yaku thought, before shaking it off,  _ No. It’s just an act!  _ Finally, after Yaku almost resorted to crying, the student sighed.

“I’m sor-” they started, but as soon as they opened their mouth, Yaku manipulated the water droplets to fly straight into the student’s mouth, which they swallowed on impulse, paling as they realised what he had done. He had drugged them, making them unable to use magic, giving him the upper hand. 

 

Before the student could call out for help, Yaku called forth a binding spell, preventing them from speaking or moving, and since they now couldn’t use magic, they couldn’t oppose the spell. Taking the robe and mask from the student, Yaku donned them, and looked down at the male. Their eyes were panicked, confused. But Yaku wasn’t going to fall for their acting again. He’d been betrayed once and it wasn’t going to happen again. Taking a breath, he relaxed a little. He had succeeded to some extent, and felt a little giddy. Now he needed to retrace his steps. He remembered being dragged like a ragdoll, and looked at the ground. Sure enough, there were still skid marks from him scuffing his feet when he was dragged along the dusty floor.

 

He retraced his steps for a few rooms, before hearing fighting. That could only mean that people who opposed this place were here, and that meant that he could escape with them! It was a solution he had come to on the spot, but it was the only one he was going to think about. He’d come this far, and he wasn’t going to be scared into a corner again. 

Yaku made his way towards the sound, and peeked through a door. It was one guy… facing a hoard of the workers here. He didn’t even seem like he was using a lot of magic. He only seemed to have heightened physical abilities that allowed him to read the mages’ attacks being sent his way and dodge them. With the speed and frequency they were barraging him, it seemed unrealistic for any normal mage to have those capabilities. Yaku also noticed the male seemed to have claws, rather than a knife which they were fighting with. That was when it clicked. He was a shifter! 

Yaku went to open the door fully, drawn to the shifter and the prowess that he seemed to fight with. He was so entranced that he didn’t notice the presence behind him until he was grabbed from behind, and a knife pressed against his throat a little  _ too _ forcefully, causing a little droplet of blood to trickle down to his collar. Even he knew that if he started using magic, it was quicker at this range to use a knife, unless he had been a top class mage, which he wasn’t. He was forced through the door, and the female who had grabbed him shouted.

“Everyone! Stop fighting!” she yelled, using magic to amplify her voice so everyone heard over the commotion. 

The whole room stopped dead, everyone pausing mid movement, and looked over at them. Yaku felt like he was at the zoo, eyes looking at him from all over. His own gaze met with the shifter, and something buzzed inside of him. Something that felt very real. “I’ll give him to you, if you get out of here!” she said, panicking, “but I’ll kill him if you disagree!” It was a bad plan, and both Yaku and the messy-haired guy knew it. Maintaining eye-contact, somehow Yaku managed to have an exchange of sorts with him. If they wanted to get out of there, Yaku knew he’d have to take the poorly thought out bargain and tried to communicate that to him.

“Deal,” the shifter said slowly, backing towards the exit. Yaku almost breathed a sigh of relief as he did. He hoped that shifter agreed to help him, but it could also have been that he likely wouldn’t have survived the fight now the enemy was organised. The woman pushed Yaku towards him, and the two of them left the base without a second thought.

 

“Well that went to shit. I’m Kuroo, Kuroo Tetsuro,” the shifter sighed while introducing himself and throwing his hands behind his head, walking as though absolutely nothing had just happened. Tears were falling down Yaku’s face as he followed.

“Yaku Morisuke. Thank you…” he mumbled. “Thank you for saving me.” He was smiling, about as wide as someone could despite his weariness. He thought his face would split in two. Tears of relief continued to trail down his cheeks, even though he was dehydrated -  _ but he didn’t care _ . It was as though his whole body appreciated the freedom, almost giving everything it had to  _ show _ how grateful he was. He was free.  _ He could go home.  _ He no longer cared about finding his shifter. He just wanted to go home.

“Uh, are you ok? Saving you was just a bonus to not get my ass kicked,” Kuroo admitted. Yaku laughed. He’d never felt so elated, but the lack of food and water was getting to him and he tripped, landing on his hands and knees. He didn’t really trust that Kuroo would help him again, but in his state of delirious, he didn’t really know or care.

“I’m free. I’m hungry, and thirsty… but I’m free…” Yaku sighed with relief before letting fatigue overcome him, as he passed out on the grass.

 

Kuroo made a sound of worry when Yaku passed out.  _ What did they do to him? Starve him?  _ Kuroo asked himself. He crouched down next to Yaku.

“Hey… Yaku? Are you awake?” he asked, trying to get his attention. He went to shake his shoulder, but when his hand made contact, a shock of energy, and a rush of magic flowed up his arm and into his chest. He became aware of a whole new consciousness in his mind. Curious, he allowed himself to investigate - probing the other presence in his mind - and shortly after, he realised it was Yaku. Kuroo fell backwards in shock, landing on his backside as he looked at Yaku in awe. After 18 years of living alone, of searching for a purpose - after giving up on ever finding his mage - he finds them, half dead in the cellar of the underworld’s base. Of course, he’d watched as the smugglers took him captive, and followed them all the way here, but he never expected to find his mage - no - Yaku. He never expected to find Yaku here.

 

After the initial shock died down, Kuroo’s worry about Yaku’s well-being once again became his forefront emotion. He was passed out in front of him after all. Picking him up, he took him to the nearest inn, and started to care for him to help him recover. It was the first time he got to truly analyse his mage up close. Right now, he looked tired, like sleep had evaded him for a while, and though he seemed starved and dehydrated, he wasn’t in any imminent danger. Looking beyond that, Kuroo saw - and sensed - that Yaku was sound of mind - something that Kuroo lacked, since he always acted on his emotions. 

Looking Yaku up and down, it was clear that he’d grown up in a place where food was more of a luxury than in other places. He didn’t really didn’t have any excess fat. He was slender and the muscle that he had was obviously well maintained. Kuroo averted his gaze. It wouldn’t do well to creep on someone he’d just met, even if they were supposed to spend their lives working together. Such a thought was all so sudden and unexpected. He usually prided himself on his ability to expect the unexpected, to fight and use magic as well as being able to shift but this - he didn’t expect  _ any _ of this at all. He sat on the chair in the room he’d rented out for the two of them and closed his eyes, finally able to get a peaceful night’s sleep, knowing his mage was safe, and that he would have a partner for life. The main mystery in his life was now solved.


	7. Kuroo's Battle

 

As a child, Kuroo had a happy life. Both of his parents cared for him deeply. They loved and nurtured him. Neither of them were particularly powerful. His father was a shifter, and his mother was a mage. When they found out that he was both, they were overjoyed, as was Kuroo himself, but because such a mix was rare, especially with someone as strong as he was, he was shunned at school. It only made matters worse when all of his friends found partners.

 

Of course, he still had friends that he hung around with, and he still had both his parents. As he had such a good life, a stable family, and good friends, though they were few, the fact that he had neither a mage nor a shifter became somewhat of a sore point for him. After finishing school as a top student, Kuroo devoted himself to learning for a while. He even attended to prestigious Imperial College for a while, until he noticed some of the students suddenly changed, acting odd, as though some miracle reformation had been performed on them.

 

After that, he wanted to know the truth behind the college, and turned his attention to crime and unexplained occurrences within the city. Ever since finding out about the underground magician slave trade, he’d been fighting them every way possible - well, in every way an 18 year-old mage/shifter hybrid could.

 

He prevented kidnappings, gave anonymous tips to the authorities, and on some occasions fought upfront. Recently, he’d gotten more and more reckless, hence the attack on the main base yesterday. Kuroo felt as though his attempts were futile, but he couldn’t just leave young mages to be taken and used in the mundane world - and so he continued his uphill battle.


	8. The Plan

The next day, Yaku woke up and tried to sit up, but he was almost too weak to move. Turning his head to the side, his stomach jolted at the surprise of the other male in the room. 

_ What happened?  _ he thought to himself. The other male stirred awake, eyes squinting against the late morning light.

“You got away from those traders,” the man croaked, voice thick with sleepiness.

_ Huh? Did I say that out loud?  _ Yaku thought, surprised at his momentary lapse of focus.

“No, you didn’t. It seems you don’t realise it, but we can read each other’s thoughts.”

“What? How? Only bonded mages and shifters can d-” Yaku’s mouth fell open in realisation, before his expression hardened. “Forgive me if I’m sceptical about the first truth presented to me, but I’m sure you can understand - especially in the conditions you found me.” Kuroo stretched, not surprisingly representing a cat. Yaku was once again caught off guard at the knowledge he suddenly found that he knew.

_ It’s disconcerting, isn’t it? To suddenly have access to another minds worth of knowledge as well as your own.  _ Yaku wouldn’t have believed that Kuroo spoke to him mentally if he hadn’t seen that the other male’s mouth didn’t move. He got curious at the foreign presence in his mind and began to sort through a few of the more prominent thoughts. Both Yaku and Kuroo learnt a lot from each other about everything as their minds were melded together. As their backgrounds were vastly different and their approach to everything was different, their combined view of the world was now more broad.

“I still think I prefer communicating verbally. There’s something too alien about someone hearing my thoughts,” Yaku told Kuroo, who nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

 

After getting cleaned up and dressed in vaguely presentable clothes, the two headed downstairs to the bar area, Kuroo supporting the shorter mage in his weakened state. They ordered food which Kuroo paid for, much to Yaku’s protest.

“You have literally nothing of your own with you, and if we’re going to be spending the rest of our lives together I’m sure there will be an opportunity for you to pay me back,” Kuroo reasoned. Yaku grumbled, but couldn’t complain as the steaming plates of food soon appeared. Before he could dig in, Kuroo pulled the dish away from him.

“Eat slowly. If you’ve been starving yourself you don’t want to throw up on your first bite,” Kuroo told him. 

The two of them were actually well balanced for two people who had never met before the previous night. Kuroo had more real life experience with certain survival aspects - especially since he went up against the underworld, while Yaku was logical and had a real world view on Kadena and magic. They were both smart, street-wise and academically and though their personal views and approaches to situations were different, neither of them were averse to this and welcomed the change in perspective.

“Ok, Kuroo… I think we have a lot to discuss,” Yaku said after finishing his meal and feeling a lot more like himself. He noticed the golden eyes across from him almost analysing him.

“I agree, but after you,” he said to the mage. There was a reason Kuroo had sat in the corner of the room. They could talk without being overheard by unwanted ears.

“From where I see it, we have three options: first, to continue battling the underworld here in the city centre; second, to walk away and carry on living as normal mage and shifter; and third, to be at such a disagreement on what to do that we go our separate ways until we maybe meet again,” Yaku started. Both of them had already ruled out the third option in their head, and so it was now down to deciding what course of action to take.

“I don’t think I can just stop fighting them now. It just wouldn't feel right. Especially now that I’m more than just myself,” Kuroo said to Yaku, who nodded, thinking it through.

“Then we take it slow. They’ll be ready for us - or you - now, so we’re going to have to prepare for this,” Yaku told him. Kuroo was mildly surprised.

“I thought you’d just want to walk away from all of this? Surely you don’t want to go back there?” Kuroo asked.

“I do just want to walk away - with you. And the only way both of us are walking away is if we sort out this underground for good,” Yaku said. He knew that neither of them would be able to rest easily knowing that those people were still out there kidnapping young unsuspecting mages. An appreciative and excitedly apprehensive grin spread on Kuroo’s face.

“Then we’d better get planning. First we need a more permanent place to stay. We can’t stay in an inn the whole time,” Kuroo told Yaku, who felt much better after eating.

“Then let’s go and look for a cheap place to rent. Or at least as cheap as we can find in the city centre,” the mage nodded.

“Are you sure you’re well enough?” Kuroo asked. No one recovered that quickly from what he’d been through, physically or mentally, and yet Yaku was miraculously not throwing up the giant breakfast he’d had nor weakened by the events of the past few days.

“Yeah I just want to get this all over and done with. And that means starting now,” Yaku explained. Kuroo was still curious though. Recovering from almost starvation took longer than a good night of sleep and a big meal.

“Alrighty, let’s get going then,” Kuroo nodded, going up to the reception desk with Yaku to pay for their room and meal.


End file.
